A new fence is going up at the old Allied Textile Printers site in Paterson after an Environmental Protection Agency study found the area to be a “brownfield site.”

This means that the land contains contaminants and hazardous waste.

City officials say that the fence will keep the public from being able to access the area. They say that the site has been neglected for many years and has become a haven for drug users.

"Ultimately beyond the aesthetics, it will improve the quality of life for the residents here. I've received countless compliments from constituents like, ‘Mayor when are you going to do something about this fence?’ And it became more than just an eyesore. It became more of a drug magnet,” said Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh.

Sayegh says that once the new fence is up, construction will start in the area on a new river walk.